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Exploring the Parks

Winter Opens Snowy National Parks To Hardy Adventurers

Thanksgiving week brought a lot of snow to much of the country. I returned home to find 8-9 inches of the white stuff in the yard, and a decided chill (low teens) in the air. All of which naturally got me thinking about how to enjoy the winter months in the cold weather side of the National Park System. If you’re looking to enjoy parks chilled and blanketed by winter, here are some destinations to consider.

Counting Cacti At Saguaro National Park

Take saguaros out of Saguaro National Park, and you’d lose more than the park’s namesake cactus, one that gives skyward structure to the vista here. You might strain to catch the drumming of the Gila woodpecker, fail to catch an elf owl peering out from its cavity nest, and not know where to look for Lesser long-nosed bats. All these creatures rely on the saguaro for food and shelter. Realizing those possible losses to this Sonoran Desert landscape begs the question, "How are the park’s saguaros doing?"

Arkansas Post: Sentinel Of The Lower Mississippi River

One of the joys of visiting every unit managed by the National Park Service is driving rural roads to historic sites located off the beaten path. Not only is the final park destination guaranteed to be worth the drive, but the opportunity to experience rural America on state highways and county roads can be equally edifying and enjoyable. We experienced both on a recent visit to Arkansas Post National Memorial located on the Arkansas River just upstream from its confluence with the Mississippi.

Exploring The Parks: A North Cascades “Base Camp” Stay

What comes to mind when you hear the words “base camp?” Tents beneath Mount Everest, perhaps? How about something a little closer to home, bordering the incredible turquoise-hued water of Diablo Lake in Ross Lake National Recreation Area, beneath the mountains of the North Cascades? Photographer Rebecca Latson spent a couple of nights at the North Cascades Institute Environmental Learning Center's "Base Camp" and writes about her experience.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.